Vacuum cleaner suction tool with pile agitator rotatable in a horizontal plane for cleaning deep pile shag rugs

ABSTRACT

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a suction cleaning tool having a hood member open at the bottom and adapted to rest on the surface of a shag rug. One or more surface agitator members are mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane within the hood and means are provided for exhausting a large volume of air from the interior of the hood. Air may be admitted both under the edge of the hood bounding the open bottom and through preferably tangentially directed openings in the vertical wall of the hood. The air may be exhausted through an outlet in the vertical wall or through a centrally located nozzle extending through the top wall, which nozzle may be arranged to reciprocate vertically. A still greater air flow through the hood may be obtained by introducing air into the hood from a blower preferably driven by the same motor which drives the agitators.

Elite States atet 1 1 1 1 3,813,726

Kowalewski 1 June 4, 1974 [54] VACUUM CLEANER SUCTION TOOL WITH 2,999,258 9/1961 Berberian 15/385 X PILE AGITATOR ROTATABLE IN A 3,719,966 3/1973 Lamont 15/385 11 RIZONTAL PLANE FOR CLEANING g FILE SHAG RUGS Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts [75] Inventor: .Ohn J. Kowalewski, Riverside, [57] ABSTRACT onn.

In accordance with the present invention there is prol l Assignoel Consolidated Foods C p vided a suction cleaning tool having a hood member Old Greenwlch, Connopen at the bottom and adapted to rest on the surface of a shag rug. One or more, surface agitator members [22] Filed. Aug. 4, 1972 are mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane within [21] Appl. No.: 252,614 the hood and means are provided for exhausting a 1 large volume of air from the interior of the hood. Air may be admitted both under the edge of the hood [58] Field of Search 15/354 359, 379, 382, tangentially directed openings in the vertical wall of 15/385 404 320 50 R the hood. The air may be exhausted through an outlet in the vertical wall or through a centrally located noz- 56] References Cited zle extending through the top wall, which nozzle may be arranged to reciprocate vertically. A still greater air UNITED STATES PATENTS flow through the hood may be obtained by introducing 1,627,263 5/1927 Baily 15/320 air into the hood from a blower preferably driven 2.415.372 2/1947 Salt et a1 1 15/385 X the Same motor which drives the agitators. 2,514,142 7/1950 Reid 15/385 ux 2,703,904 3/1955 DeLong 15/385 X 4 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures I 20 I 1, 30' H as lo 9 j l l a 1/ l 44 l. as I i '28\ 26 46 1*5 I 1 l 24 -3 38 1- 5 ll ill 1 .1 1

PATENTEUJM 419m saw u or S FIG. 12

FIG. 13

PATEmmJun 4 m4 SHEET 5 OF 5 FIG. 14 {43! VACUUM CLEANER SUCTION TOOL WITH PILE AGITATOR ROTATABLE IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE FOR CLEANING DEEP PILE SHAG RUGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presently popular shag rugs have a pile formed of very long strands, up to several inches, which makes cleaning them with a vacuum cleaner very difficult, as the ordinary elongated suction nozzle is hard to move on such a rug and, the nozzle opening being held well above the base of the rug by the long strands, the air flowing into the nozzle does not penetrate deep enough to pick up deeply embedded dirt. Also, because of the nature of the pile, it is impossible to obtain anything near the degree of vacuum which can be produced in an ordinary nozzle on an ordinary rug.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The agitator member or members rotating in a horizontal plane within the hood, as the tool is moved back and forth tend to whip the strands around and to thus loosen and stir up embedded dirt, which then is removed by the comparatively large volume of air passing through the hood which surrounds the agitator. The action of the agitator rotating in a horizontal plane combined with the back and forth movement of the tool over the rug leaves the nap in a random disarray which gives an attractive appearance to the surface of a rug of this type.

I DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. I is a perspective view ofa cleaning tool constituting a first embodiment of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view ofthe cleaning tool shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view on a reduced scale looking in the direction of the arrows 55 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a second embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view on a still larger scale taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a third embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the cleaning tool shown in FIG. 9; I

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view 11-11 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 13 ofa fourth embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a bottom view on a reduced scale of the cleaning tool shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 1414 of FIG. 15 ofa fifth embodiment; and

FIG. 15 is a top view or a reduced scale of the cleaning tool shown in FIG. 14.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 5, reference character 10 designates a preferably circular hood member which is formed with an open bottom bounded by a lip 12 having a rounded lower surface. Extending horizontally from taken on the line the vertical wall 14 of the hood is a wheel bracket 16 carrying a pair of wheels 18. The wall 14 is formed with a plurality of slots 15 adjacent each of which is a vane 17 for admitting in a generally tangential direction to the interior of the hood. I

Depending from the center of the top 20 of the hood is a hollowing bearing post 22 on which is rotatably mounted a hub 24. Secured to upper end of the hub is a large gear wheel 26 which meshes with a pinion 28 on the shaft 30 of an electric motor 32 mounted on the top wall 20. A partition 34 having a seal 36 cooperating with the rotatable hub 24 forms a substantially dust tight gear chamber in the upper part of the hood.

Carried by the hub 24 is a sleeve 38 having an outwardly extending flange 40. Sleeve 38 is formed with a pair of oppositely disposed inclined slots 42 through which extend pins 44 projecting radially from hub 24. Springs 46 are tensioned between the pins and flange 40 in such a manner as to tend to rotate sleeve 38 on hub 24 in a direction which brings the upper ends of slots 42 into contact with the pins 44, as is shown in FIG. 5. Removably secured to flange 40, as by snap fasteners 48, is a disc 50 carrying depending bristles 52.

Reciprocatably mounted within bearing post 22 is a tube 54 the lower end of which is formed as circular suction nozzle 56. A cam plate 58 is secured to tube 54 just above the nozzle and is formed with a circular undulating cam groove 60. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cam groove is formed with two diametrically disposed low points 62 and with two diametrically disposed high points 64 at 90 therefrom. A pair of diametrically disposed pins 66 extend downwardly from the rotatable hub 24 and engages the cam groove 60. A compression spring 68 is disposed between the top of bearing post 22 and a snap ring 70 around the upper end of tube 54 which urges the tube and cam plate 58 upwardly so as to maintain the cam groove 60 in contact with pins 66. Thus, as the hub 24 rotates and carries the pins 66 in a circular path, the cam plate 58, tube 54 and nozzle 56 are reciprocated vertically.

A hemispherical dome 72 is secured to top wall 20 and encloses the upper end of tube 54. A conduit 74 extends at an angle from the dome and is adapted to removably receive a hollow wand 76 which serves both a as a handle for manipulating the cleaning tool and as means for connecting the interior of the hood 10 to a source of suction in a vacuum cleaner unit.

In operation, when it is desired to clean a shag rug, the tool is placed thereon, the wand 76 is connected to a source of suction and the motor 32 isenergized. The lip 12 sinks a short distance into the pile of the rug and the bristles 52' contact the pile. As the bristles are caused to travel in a circular path by the rotation of disc 50, they agitate the pile and dislodge dirt therefrom. This dust and dirt is entrained by the large volume of air entering the hood through the slots 15 and under the lip 12 and leaving through the nozzle 56 and tube 54. As previously described, rotation of hub 24 causes the tube and nozzle to be reciprocated rapidly in a vertical direction, thus causing the nozzle to act as a beater which further dislodges dust from the rug.

The rotation of the brush acts to lay the pile which is underneath it at any instant in a circular pattern and the bristles brush one side of each strand. However, as the cleaning tool is moved around over the rug, the direction of the lay of each strand is reversed as it comes under the diametrically opposite side of the rotating brush with the result that both sides of each strand are contacted by the brush.

Should the bristles 52 encounter sufficient resistance to rotation over the rug, to overcome the tension of springs 46, the disc 50 and sleeve 38 will lag behind the hub 24 which, because of the inclination of the slots 42, will cause the sleeve 38 to move upwardly on the hub, thus lifting the bristles 52 and reducing the resistance to rotation. A more detailed description of the operation of this torque limiting arrangement is to be found in US. Pat. No. 2,609,555 of Sept. 5, 1952.

A somewhat modified embodiment of my invention is shown in FIGS. 6 through 8, wherein corresponding parts have been designated by the reference characters heretofore used increased by 100. Thus, the hood previously designated 10 is here identified by 110. The motor 132 drives through pinion 128 and gear 126 a shaft 180 journeled in a bearing formed in partition 134. The shaft carries pins 144 which extend radially through inclined slots formed in a sleeve 138 having an outwardly extending flange 140. A pair of tension springs 146 extend between pins 144 and flange 140.

A disc 150 carries not only brush bristles 152, but also stiff but somewhat flexible tines or fingers 182. The central portion of the disc is a sheet metal member 184 having a depressed center 186. Slideably mounted on center 186 is a pairof bars 188 extending radially outwardly through opening formed in a shoulder portion connecting center 186 with outer portion of memher 184. Each bar carries a hook-shape member 190 adapted to extend through slots formed in flange 140. Leaf springs 192 urge bars 188 outwardly so as to engage the hooked ends of members 190 over the ends of the slots, thus securing member 184 and disc 150 to flange 140. The brush disc may be removed from the flange by pressing the bars 188 inwardly with the thumb and forefinger against the force of springs 192.

The cylindrical wall 144 of hood 110 is formed with air inlets 115 and guide vanes 117 for admitting air into the hood in a generally tangential direction. Air is exhausted from the hood through an elbow 174 secured to the cylindrical wall 144 in line with an opening therethrough. A hollow wand 176 is removably connectable to the elbow. The wall of the hood may be in the shape of an involute opening into the elbow 174 so that centrifugal force, acting on the entrained dirt which is moved in a circular path because of the vanes 117, aids in carrying the dirt into the outlet elbow 174.

The operation of this embodiment is similar to that previously described. Rotation of the disc 150 by the motor 132 causes the bristles 152 to brush the rug and the tines 182 to rake it, both actions serving to agitate the pile and to dislodge dirt and dust therefrom. This dirt is picked up by the large volume of air entering through the slots 115 and directed in a circular path within the hood by the vanes 117, as well as by air entering under the lips 112 and exhausted through the elbow 194. l In the third embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 11, similar parts are designated by reference characters increased by 200. Thus the hood is designated 210. In this case the hood is oval shaped, as is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and the motor 232 is mounted centerally on the top wall 220 thereof. The motor shaft 230 carries a pinion 228 which meshes with a pair of gears 226 and 227 mounted on shafts 280 and 281. The latter are rotatably mounted in bearing 201 carried by the top wall 220. Affixed to the lower end of each shaft is a rectangular member 203 one end of which carries bristles 252 and the other tines 282. The length of each member 203 is such compared to the distance between their shaft centers that they overlap when rotating but are prevented from interfering by being positioned at to each other and are so maintained by the gear drive.

This embodiment operates in a manner similar to those previously described, the rotation of the memhers 203 causing the bristles 252 to brush and the tines 282 to rake the pile. Due to the fact that the members 203 overlap during rotation, there is no portion of the rug between them which is not brushed and raked. A large volume of air enters the hood through slots 215 and underneath lip 212 and is withdrawn, along with entrained dust, through the elbow 274.

A fourth embodiment of my invention is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, corresponding parts being designated by the reference character heretofore used increased by 300. Thus the hood is designated 310. Mounted on the top 320 of the hood is a fan housing 321 on which is mounted the motor 332. The motor shaft 330 extends through the fan housing and a fan motor 323 is secured to the shaft to be driven thereby. The discharge from the fan housing is through an opening 325 in top 320 into the gear chamber which is formed with an outlet 327 in partition 334 opening into the interior of the hood. The motor housing is formed with openings 329 for admitting air which flows over the motor to the central inlet 33] of fan 323.

Shaft 380 carries an elongated member 303, similar to members 203 shown in FIG. 10, which is provided with bristles 352 at one end and tines 382 at the other, as is illustrated in FIG. 13.

In operation, the motor drives both the fan 323 and the member 303. Air discharged from the fan passes through opening 325 into and through the gear chamber and thence through the opening 327 to the interior of the hood. Opening 327 is located above elongated member 303 and as each end of the member passes beneath the opening it produces a pulsating effect on the air stream which is directed against the rug.

The fan 323 is so designed as to discharge a somewhat lower volume of air per unit of time than the fan unit in the vacuum cleaner withdraws through the conduit 374. Consequently, a negative pressure is maintained within the hood which is desirable, as otherwise some air and entrained dirt would be forced out of the hood through the openings 315 and underneath the lip 312. As it is, the fan 323 aids the fan in the vacuum cleaner and the result is a substantial increase in the volume and velocity of the air passing through the hood which increases the ability of the tool to dislodge and remove dirt from the rug. Also, the pulsation of the air stream from opening 327 aids in dislodging dirt.

A fifth form of my invention is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, corresponding parts being designated by the reference characters heretofore used increased by 400. Here the outlet from the fan chamber 421 communicates with a passage 431 extending across the top 420 to a manifold 433 extending about two-thirds of the way around the cylindrical side wall 414 of hood 410 so as to enclose the slots 415. Shaft 480 removably carries a rug agitator 450 having bristles 452 and tines 482 and may be the same as that shown in FIG. 7.

This embodiment operates in much the same manner as that shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, except that the air discharged from the fan 423 is admitted to the interior of the hood through the openings 415 in the side wall and the rug agitator is a complete disc. As in the previous embodiment, the air flow produced by fan 423 is not sufficient to create a positive pressure within the hood, but does increase the air flow therethrough to the vacuum cleaner through conduit 474, thus improving the cleaning effect.

While I have shown and described several more or less specific embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that this has been done for the purpose of illustration only, and the scope of my invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. [n a suction cleaning tool for cleaning high pile shag rugs, a rigid hood having an open bottom and terminating in a lip having a rounded lower surface adapted to rest on the surface of the rug for movably supporting the tool thereon, a member mounted for rotation and with respect to said hood about a vertical axis, means carried in rotation by said member for contacting and agitating the pile of said rug, and a suction nozzle centrally located within said hood for exhausting air and entrained dirt from the interior thereof.

2. A suction tool as defined in claim 1 including means for reciprocating said nozzle in a vertical direction.

3. A suction cleaning tool as defined in claim 1 characterized by a hollow bearing post located centrally within said hood and depending from the top thereof, said member being rotatably mounted on said post, and said suction nozzle depending from the lower end of said post.

4. A suction cleaning tool as defined in claim 3 characterized by a tube connected to said nozzle and reciprocably mounted in said post, a cam plate carried by said tube and cam means carried in rotation by said member and engaging said plate for imparting a reciprocating movement to said plate, tube and nozzle. 

1. In a suction cleaning tool for cleaning high pile shag rugs, a rigid hood having an open bottom and terminating in a lip having a rounded lower surface adapted to rest on the surface of the rug for movably supporting the tool thereon, a member mounted for rotAtion and with respect to said hood about a vertical axis, means carried in rotation by said member for contacting and agitating the pile of said rug, and a suction nozzle centrally located within said hood for exhausting air and entrained dirt from the interior thereof.
 2. A suction tool as defined in claim 1 including means for reciprocating said nozzle in a vertical direction.
 3. A suction cleaning tool as defined in claim 1 characterized by a hollow bearing post located centrally within said hood and depending from the top thereof, said member being rotatably mounted on said post, and said suction nozzle depending from the lower end of said post.
 4. A suction cleaning tool as defined in claim 3 characterized by a tube connected to said nozzle and reciprocably mounted in said post, a cam plate carried by said tube and cam means carried in rotation by said member and engaging said plate for imparting a reciprocating movement to said plate, tube and nozzle. 